5 Things To Know Before Selling Real Estate Part-Time

Real estate is an industry where you get out of it what you put into it. That brings up an interesting question for new real estate agents. 

Should you sell real estate part-time?

As a part-time real estate agent, you'll generate an income, but the paychecks don't come in every two weeks. And, with a part-time status, buyers and sellers may question your professionalism. However, they will still expect full-time service and accessibility to you and your knowledge. Partnering with a brokerage with a team environment to help manage calls, marketing tasks, and emails can be helpful for part-time agents. 

Now, let's take a closer look at the things you should know before you start selling real estate on the side.

1. You’ll Have Money Coming In, Slowly

How long does it take to close your first real estate deal and get paid? About two months, if the process goes smoothly from offer to closing. That’s precisely why some new agents work part-time around other income-earning activities.

So, how much money does an agent earn? 

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) shares that the average real estate agent makes $46,014 annually as of January 2024. The NAR did not share how many hours these agents work a week to earn this income. However, they do explain the typical REALTOR® worked 35 hours per week and averaged 10 transactions (including both residential and commercial properties) in 2023.

How you define part-time work is up to you. For some, it's a few hours per week, while others want to log 20 or 30 hours. The United States Department of Labor defines part-time as working less than 35 hours per week.

2. Some People May Question Your Capabilities

It’s only natural that buyers and sellers will question whether they should work with a part-time real estate agent over a full-time agent. Some will even question your capabilities simply because you work 20 hours a week rather than 40 or more hours.

Be prepared to explain why you choose to work part-time and why you’re every bit as capable as a full-time agent. A gentle reminder that you're licensed and have completed the same level of education as a full-time agent in this profession can go a long way.

To be proactive, you can also market your top qualities so your potential customers focus on those aspects, not how many hours you're working each week. For example, do you offer a lower commission percentage than other agents in your city? Do you specialize in a specific type of property (such as commercial real estate vs single-family homes)? Did you win an award in your industry? Sell yourself well, and potential clients won't care how many hours you work.

3. Clients Will Still Want to Contact You at All Hours

Just because you work part-time that doesn’t mean you clock in and out at a specific time. When you’re an agent, you have to accept that clients will want to contact you at all hours of the day. If you aren’t available or can’t respond promptly, your clients may get frustrated.

You can circumvent some of these issues by being clear about your availability upfront. But in today’s fast-paced real estate industry, being unavailable for part of the day could mean the difference between getting an accepted offer and missing the opportunity altogether.

Consider hiring an answering service or an assistant to manage your calls and other communications during the traditional business hours you aren't available. This keeps the lines of communication open, and your helper could always contact you so you can hop on a call when there's a time-sensitive situation, such as a counter-offer.

4. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work for Part-Time Agents

The best advice seasoned pros give new part-time agents is to find a real estate team to join. Working as part of a team gives you more of a safety net since others can make appointments for you or take calls when you’re unavailable. You may have to split the commission with team members, but the alternative could be no commission at all.

In return for these services, the brokerage you work for may require a monthly fee and/or a percentage of each home sale. These fees are often capped after you reach a set goal, but you still need to consider them if you're working part time. 

5. It Could Be Harder to Find a Broker

Unfortunately, some brokers are less inclined to take on part-time agents. Brokers invest a lot of money in administrative services, agent development, and getting leads. They make their money back by collecting a portion of each agent's commission. If a broker thinks part-time isn’t enough to cover the expenses, you’ll have to keep looking.

Consider offering your agent services to smaller brokers and firms. They are more likely to have fewer agents and be open to you working part-time since they aren't producing a huge volume of sales. The AceableAgent Broker Agent Matching Program is also available in several states and can help match you with a broker who can give you the training and support you need.

Pursuing Real Estate Part-Time Might Be a Good Fit

Everyone's career path is unique. If you want to spend a few hours each day helping buyers find their dream homes and assisting sellers with their moves, tackling real estate part-time could be a good fit. 

Learn more about taking your pre-license coursework from Aceable. You'll gain both knowledge and confidence before test day!